SIGNALS

I don't usually shop for pasta bowls, but when I do, I shop at Bed Bath & Beyond. On the other hand, I never, ever shop for audio gear at Bed Bath & Beyond. Thus I was shocked, and almost dropped my damn pasta bowl, when I spotted one of the most venerable names in audio in their check-out area.

My hypothesis is this: Things that are old will last longer and will be more useful for a longer time, than things that are new. Yes, the logic of my hypothesis is somewhat circular, but that doesn't mean it isn't true. Exhibit A: The vacuum tube.

As this magazine celebrates its 60th anniversary, we are trying to reconcile the fact that Ken Pohlmann is the longest-serving contributor to these pages. Frankly, we’re not sure why we ever hired him 30 years ago. In an effort to find out, we asked Mr. Pohlmann to share his stories of his early days at the magazine. —The Editors

I was mystified, confused, and perplexed. The low-slung vehicle cruising in the lane beside me sure looked the business, and sounded the business too. As it briskly accelerated away from me, its low throaty roar was decidedly delicious. Something was amiss. Very amiss.

The most hi-tech piece of electronics on my (vintage) BMW motorcycle is the magneto ignition or, possibly, the brake light. But I fully admit that electrical engineering has come a long way since 1962. Thus, today's motorcycles have somewhat more sophisticated do-dads. Way more sophisticated.

Amazon will rule the world. Bricks-and-mortar is ancient history. Shop on your phone, click the button, and the drone will drop off your new TV within the hour. Right? Well, maybe. But apparently Best Buy didn't get that memo. The company has come roaring back.

There are things we know to be true. Sometimes we don't want to admit they are true. Sometimes we just don't get around to admitting them and instead carry them around as unspoken truths. But when I read the Grace Notes blog yesterday, a truth dawned on me, and now I'm ready to admit it.

With all due respect to sloths (arboreal mammals that hang upside down from trees) we (humans) are total sloths (ie. reluctant to work or make an effort; lazy). To prove my point, your Honor, I submit Exhibit A, those red Netflix mail-in envelopes.

You probably saw the news story last week. Unbeknownst to them, a couple's Alexa Echo recorded their conversation, then emailed it to someone in their contact list. Creepy. Here's how you can determine what Alexa has recorded in your house, and edit the archive and delete files.

It was an internet sensation, that's for sure. And a real head-scratcher, too. People listened to the same audio clip, and heard two completely different words. Much like the black/blue-white/gold dress craze that visually swept the internet three years ago, yanny/laurel did the same thing, but aurally.

Who uttered that famous declaration? Was it: a) Confucius, b) Friedrich Nietzsche, c) Vin Diesel, d) Dominic Toretto? Of course, that is a trick question because both “c” and “d” are correct. The movie was The Fast and the Furious , a cinematic masterpiece about street racing and skid marks.